Strawberry plant named ‘Charm’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant named ‘Charm’. The new cultivar is primarily characterized by it medium-large fruit that have outstanding processing characteristics including deep red internal and external color, sweet flavor, and very easy calyx removal, as well as vigorous, productive plants.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: ‘CHARM’ is a new strawberry plant that is Fragaria xananassa Duchesne ex Rozier.

Variety denomination: The new strawberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘Charm’ Fragaria xananassa Duchesne ex Rozier.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar strawberry designated ‘Charm’ and botanically known as Fragaria xananassa Duchesne ex Rozier. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in Corvallis, Oreg. in June 2001 and originated from a cross between the female parent BC 91-14-31 (unpatented) and the male parent WA 94023-1 (unpatented). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated in Benton County Oregon since 2001 by rooting daughter plants from stolons from the mother plant. The present invention has been found to be stable and reproduce true to type through successive asexual propagations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs show typical specimen's of the new cultivar at various stages of development as nearly true as it is possible to make in color reproductions.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit.

FIG. 2 shows the flower morphology.

FIG. 3 shows a flower truss with fruit in a range of ripening stages.

FIG. 4 shows typical fruit after harvest for processing market.

FIG. 5 shows typical entire and sliced fruit after freezing and thawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following description of ‘Charm’ is based on observations taken from 2004 to 2012 growing seasons in trials in Corvallis and Aurora, Oreg. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions depending upon variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. ‘Charm’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The botanical description of ‘Charm’ was taken from plants one year after establishment in the field. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour chart. London (R.H.S.) (5^(th) edition, 2007).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Table 1 shows selected characteristics of the new cultivar compared with plant characteristics of ‘SWEET SUNRISE’, (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,950). Characteristics include plant height, number of crowns per plant, plant habit, bract frequency, petiole texture, petal length and width, fruit shape, and fruit weight.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Plant height (cm) 20.0 11.9 Number of crowns/plant 11.0 6.2 Habit Upright globose Upright, open globose Bract frequency None Typically two Texture petiole Hirsute Dense Petal length (cm) 1.0 1.4 Petal width (cm) 1.0 1.3 Fruit shape Conic, slight wedge Conic Weight fruit (g) 14.6 15.4

Table 2 shows plant characteristics of the new cultivar compared with plant characteristics of ‘Sweet Sunrise’, (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,950). Plant characteristics include plant height, diameter, number of crowns per plant, habit, density of individual plants and vigor.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Plant height (cm) 20.0 11.9 Plant diameter (cm) 34.7 25.0 Number of crowns/plant 11.0 6.2 Habit Upright globose Upright, open globose Density of individual plant Medium to Dense Medium Vigor Strong Medium

Table 3 shows leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with leaf characteristics of ‘Sweet Sunrise’, (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/364,950). Leaf characteristics include leaf type, leaf shape. leaf length, leaf width, terminal leaflet length, terminal leaflet width, terminal leaflet length to width ratio, leaf margins, shape of teeth, leaf serrations per leaflet, upper and lower leaf surface color, number of leaflets, terminal leaflet apex shape, terminal leaflet base shape, glossiness upper side leaf surface, texture upper side leaf surface, texture underside leaf surface and leaf arrangement.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Leaf type Semi-evergreen leaves Semi-evergreen leaves that die back to the that die back to the ground in severe winters ground in severe winters Leaf shape Ovate Ovate Leaf length (cm) 6.98 7.94 Leaf width (cm) 6.53 6.76 Terminal leaflet length 7.87 7.72 (cm) Terminal leaflet width 6.93 6.27 (cm) Terminal leaflet 1.1 1.2 length/width ratio Leaf margins Serrate Single serration, coarsely serrate Shape of teeth Rounded Pointed Leaf serrations per 20.3 21.7 leaflet Color mature leaves Green Group N 137B Green Group N 137A upper surface Color mature leaves Green Group N138C Green Group 138C lower surface Number of leaflets 3 3 Terminal leaflet apex Obtuse Obtuse shape Terminal leaflet base Cuneate Cuneate shape Glossiness upper side Semi-gloss Semi-gloss leaf surface Texture upper side leaf Very lightly tomentose Very lightly tomentose surface Texture underside leaf Tomentulose Tomentulose surface Leaf arrangement Compound with three Compound with three leaflets leaflets

Table 4 shows information about the petiole, the petiolule, the bract and the stipule of the new cultivar compared to ‘Sweet Sunrise’, (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,950). This includes petiole length, petiole diameter, petiole pubescence, petiole color, petiolule color, petiolule length, bract frequency, texture petiole, stipule length, and stipule width.

TABLE 4 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Leaf petiole length (cm) 18.0 10.8 Petiole diameter (cm) 0.26 0.27 Petiole pubescence Hirsute Dense Petiole color 144C 144C Petiolule color 144C 144C Petiolule length (cm) 1.11 1.17 Bract frequency None Typically two Texture petiole Hirsute Dense Stipule length (cm) 1.96 2.51 Stipule width (cm) 1.01 1.24

Table 5 shows stolon characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Sweet Sunrise’, (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,950). These characteristics include the number of stolons, the anthocyanin coloration of the stolons, the thickness of the stolons, and the pubescence of the stolons.

TABLE 5 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Stolon number 13.5 6.0 Stolon anthocyanin Weak Between weak and medium Stolon thickness (cm) 0.26 0.25 Stolon pubescence Sparse to medium Sparse

Table 6 shows inflorescence characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Sweet Sunrise’, (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,950). These characteristics include inflorescence position relative to foliage, flower type, flower size, petal shape, relative petal spacing, petal apex shape, petal margin, petal base shape, petal length, petal width, petal length/width ratio, number of petals, petal color, stigma color, style color, anther color, filament color, and flower truss type.

TABLE 6 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Inflorescence position Between level with and Between level with above and above Flower type Complete simple Complete simple Flower diameter (cm) 2.7 2.7 Petal shape Orbicular Orbicular Petal spacing Overlapping Overlapping Petal apex shape Rounded Rounded Petal margin Entire Entire Petal base shape Rounded Rounded Petal length (cm) 1.00 1.43 Petal width (cm) 1.00 1.31 Petal length/width ratio 1.0 1.1 Petal count 5.1 5.4 Petal color White Group NN155C White Group NN 155B Stigma color Green-Yellow Group 1B Yellow Group 13A Style color Green-Yellow Group 1B Yellow Group 13A Anther color Yellow-Orange Group Yellow-Orange Group 14A 14A Filament color Yellow-Orange Group Yellow-Orange Group 14D 14A Blooming habit Cyme Cyme

Table 7 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Sweet Sunshine’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,650). These characteristics include number of berries per truss, fruiting truss attitude, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit length/width ratio, fruit weight, relative fruit size, predominant fruit shape, difference in shape between primary and secondary fruit, band without achenes, evenness of fruit surface, top color, non-blush side color, blush side color, internal color, achene color, achene count per fruit, insertion of calyx, pose of calyx segments, size of calyx in relation to fruit, ease of calyx removal, firmness of flesh, evenness of flesh color, distribution of flesh color, sweetness, acidity, Brix, pH, titratable acidity, texture when tasted, time of flowering, harvest maturity (50% of plants with ripe fruit), type of bearing, and yield.

TABLE 7 Characteristic ‘Charm’ ‘Sweet Sunrise’ Number of berries per 6.8 5.2 fruiting truss Fruiting truss attitude Between prostrate and Between erect and semi-erect semi-erect Diameter fruit (cm) 3.50 2.93 Length fruit (cm) 4.30 3.23 Ratio fruit length/width 1.2 1.1 Weight fruit (g) 14.6 15.4 Relative fruit size Medium Medium-large Predominant fruit shape Conic, slight wedge Conic Difference in shape between Slight Slight primary and secondary fruits Band without achenes Absent or very narrow Very narrow Evenness of fruit surface Very even Even Color of top of fruit Red Group 53A Red Group 53A Non-blush side color Red Group 53A Red Group 53A Blush side color Red Group 53A Red Group 53A Internal flesh color Red Group 47A Red Group 47A (mostly uniform, (mostly uniform) slightly open core) Achene color Red Group 53B Red Group 53A Achene count 216 278 Insertion of calyx Level Level Pose of calyx segments Spreading Spreading to reflexed Size of calyx in relation Between same size Smaller to fruit and smaller Ease of calyx removal Very easy Easy Firmness of flesh Medium Firm Evenness of flesh color Even Even Distribution of flesh color Throughout Throughout Sweetness Strong Strong Acidity Medium Medium Brix (percent soluble solids) 7.65 8.27 pH 3.43 3.56 Titratable acidity (g citric 9.45 7.65 acid/100 g fruit) Texture when tasted Fine Fine Time of flowering First bloom mid-late Begins late April April, ends early-mid early May, ends June early-mid June Harvest maturity (50% Mid-June Early June of plant with ripe fruit) Type of bearing Short-day/June- Short-day/June- bearing bearing Yield (kg/hectare) 38063 34455

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL GENOTYPES

When ‘Charm’ is compared to female parent BC 9114-31 (unpatented), the fruit are less firm and brighter colored and the plants less susceptible to foliar disease. When ‘Charm’ is compared to the male parent WA 94023-1 (unpatented) the fruit are darker and firmer and the plants more productive. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant as described and illustrated herein. 